Airbnb local contributor content
Project background
I was approached by Airbnb to contribute content for their Local Activities feature within Experiences.
What does a Local Activity do?
It introduces locals and travellers to unique things to do in a city.
In their own words, “Experiences on Airbnb are an antidote to mass produced tourism, enabling travellers to experience a different and authentic side of a city through the local people.”
When does a Local Activity succeed?
When it:
...happens in one specific place you can mark on a map.
…feels like something to do, not just a place to go.
...is clearly defined.
...sounds as appealing to locals as it does to visitors.
...is described with vivid details that show the reader what it’s like instead of telling what it’s like.
What content did I provide?
Activity title
Describes what guests will do or find, including the name of the place if it’s iconic (The Golden Gate Bridge, The Great Wall) or adds context.
Character count: 40
Is it clear?
What is it?
Does it have enough info to decide if I'd like to do it?
Example: Plane spotting next to a runway
Notes: I front loaded the title with the activity to make it clear at a glance.
Activity deck
Activity decks are brief descriptions of what people will do. They are a summary of the Activity blurb and appear below the title.
Example: Sit just 50 meters under planes coming in to land
Notes: This tells the reader exactly what they can expect when they arrive.
Tip
A tip is extra information that helps the user have a better experience at a recommended Activity. They appear with metadata like the date and time of the Activity and should be practical and logistical, not voicey.
Example: Bring hearing protection
Notes: While it may sound obvious, suggesting hearing protection is essential, practical information.
Activity blurb
Character limit: 240
Should be clear, conversational, and intriguing.
Should add more info, detail, and colour than what’s in the title.
Example: This viewing area just outside the Barcelona-El Prat airport has benches where you can lie down to see—and feel—the passenger planes pass within 50 metres overhead as they land on the main runway. It makes for some great photos.
Notes: I made an effort to paint a clear picture of exactly how it feels to lie down on the benches and watch the planes come in to land overhead.
Insider info
After the blurb, my name appears with an Insider tagline, showing that I made the recommendation.
Example: Rich Jones, events writer based in Barcelona
Photography
I provided original photography or sourced high-resolution images to accompany each activity.
By visiting local places to take photos, I got a much clearer sense of how to quickly capture their most interesting aspects.
